Well ’Mette
Fried Oysters and Pork Shoulder off Sunset

Something weird happened last weekend.

You looked outside at sort-of-gray skies. You rummaged around for a coat in the back of your closet. Ever so slightly, you shivered.

This—something called “winter,” this—calls for steaming pork shoulder, soul-warming mahogany and whiskey, plenty of whiskey...

Welcome to Allumette, a handsomely intriguing new restaurant that just looks like it should be in the dictionary under “warm,” opening Thursday in Echo Park.

If your hip grandfather opened a restaurant inside a cigar box, it would look like this—a masculine rectangle of reds and browns, nice-looking but nothing too fussy. Simple. Then come the menus. They’re... less simple.

You and your date have already done sushi, burgers and steak. (Not all at once.) You came here for grilled octopus with sour apple syrup. Fried oysters with kimchi ranch dressing. Szechuan pork dumplings. And in case you’re feeling bold, why yes, they do have ravioli bursting with liquefied blood pudding. (There’s nothing worse than unliquefied blood pudding.)

Moving on to the drinks, then. Sure, there’s whiskey popping up. And mezcal. But you should know they really like their bitters here. The Last Ango has an entire ounce of Angostura.

Best use of bitters since The First Ango.